Vernal, Utah—The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Vernal Field Office announces a 30-day public comment period beginning January 14, 2011, and ending on February 15, 2011, for the Seep Ridge Road Paving Project Environmental Assessment (EA). The BLM is currently soliciting public comments to be considered prior to the finalization of the EA. 

 

The BLM previously held a 15-day public comment period for this EA in May 2009. At that time, the EA described the potential impacts of the proposal (Alternative A) to pave and realign the Seep Ridge Road beginning in the northwest corner of Section 11 of Township 10 South, Range 20 East, travelling south and terminating at the Uintah County boundary in Section 36 of Township 15 South, Range 23 East. The total length of the project would involve approximately 44.5 miles of road. The EA also described the potential impacts of the “No Action” Alternative (Alternative B) that would allow the road to remain in its present state. 

 

BLM has since added another Alternative (Alternative C) to the document. Alternative C would allow the paving and realignment of the road beginning in the northwest corner of Section 11 of Township 10 South, Range 20 East, travelling in a southerly direction, ending at the intersection of the Buck Canyon Road located in the southwest corner of section 30 of Township 12 South, Range 22 East. The total length of this alternative would involve approximately 20 miles of the northern end of the existing Seep Ridge Road. 

 

The EA and related maps of the project area are available on line at:

www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/vernal/planning/nepa_.html.

 

Please reference the Seep Ridge Road EA when submitting comments. Comments, including names, e-mail addresses, and street addresses of respondents will be available for public review at the BLM Vernal Field Office during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday), except federal holidays. 

Comments and related personally identifying information will be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and comments may be published as part of the EA and other related documents. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name, street address, or e-mail address from public review and disclosure under the FOIA, you must state this prominently at the beginning of the written comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from organizations or businesses will be made available for public inspection in their entirety. The BLM will not accept anonymous comments.

 

Written comments will be accepted during the public comment period up to close of business on February 15, 2011. Please submit written comments to:

 

Bureau of Land Management

Vernal Field Office

Attn: Mark Wimmer

170 South 500 East

Vernal, UT 84078

Fax: (435) 781-4410

UT_Vernal_Comments@blm.gov

 

For further information, please contact Mark Wimmer, Environmental Coordinator, at 435-781-4464.